any idols hidden in your heart...?

The teacher defines an idol as...

...anything that I run to under stress and pressure if it's not Christ...

---Michael Wells, Living the Abiding Life

And I have to think... What do I run to...? under stress and pressure...? that's not Christ...?

A recent Bible study question... had me consider idols... or potential idols... in my life...

Hezekiah pleased God when he spiritually cleaned house, got rid of idols, and smashed and cut down all the signs of spiritual compromise in the land. When you look at your spiritual life, what could you clean out, cut down, or smash so that you can walk more closely with God?

---Randy Frazee, The Story Participant's Guide

Off the top of my head I couldn't think of anything... so I asked God... prayed a short prayer...What do I need to get rid of... smash...?

Well an answer came... very quickly...

I even questioned it... thinking... Really...?

The answer to my question was a television show... one that's been cancelled... but is available on Amazon Prime...

A series I decided to re-watch recently... from beginning to end...

I really wanted to finish... and was it so bad...?

Then I realized... the last time I turned it on... was when I was weary... stressed... seeking escape... and solace...

I didn't run to Him... I ran to her... The Closer...

Needless to say... I haven't been tuning in by myself... and I probably won't finish it... and at this point... recognizing the spiritual issues... I don't feel the need... or desire to... anymore...*

So what about you... what idols do you have lurking... in your heart... in His sanctuary...?

Are you willing to look...? to let Him show you your idols...?

Then He brought me to the entrance of the court,

and when I looked there was a hole in the wall.

He said to me, "Son of man, dig through the wall."

So I dug through the wall, and there was a doorway.

He said to me, "Go in and see the terrible and detestable

things they are committing here." I went in and looked,

and there engraved all around the wall was every form

of detestable thing, crawling creatures and beasts,

as well as all the idols of the house of Israel.

Seventy elders from the house of Israel were standing before them.

Each had a firepan in his hand, and a fragrant cloud

of incense was rising up. Then He said to me,

"Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel 

are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his idol?

For they are saying, 'The Lord does not see us.

The Lord has abandoned the land.'"

Ezekiel 8:7-12 HCSB

Maybe... we feel abandoned by God... when stress... pressure... creeps into our lives...

Maybe... we think He doesn't see... or doesn't care...

Maybe... what seems fine to us... is detestable to Him...

Are your ready for Him to guide you... on a dig into your heart...?

Ask Him to reveal idols... potential idols... in your life...

Come into agreement with Him...

It's time... to purify our passion...

Clean up the sanctuary of our heart... for Him...